Rich Brooks, retired former UO (and Kentucky) football coach, is still running up the score

Rich Brooks the storied former football coach for the University of Oregon Ducks (1977-94), is new to a lot of things -- Twitter, fancy cell phones, retirement, etc.

But he's not so new to fishing for winter steelhead.

Brooks, also an Oregon State University graduate and a Beaver football defensive back, has retired from his last job at the University of Kentucky to a home near the McKenzie River and Springfield. (He reportedly had a bass pond in his old Kentucky homestead.)

In a recent Tweet quickly noticed by many of his former acquaintances and friends, he captured a magic moment on the Umpqua River, near Elkton, with guide Bob Ballin and buddy Stan Potter, both of Eugene.

"We're all close friends," Brooks said in a followup email after his photo and account of the trip appeared on the net.

"We were side-bouncing puffs of egg-colored yarn," he said. "It was a fantastic day; With the river as low (as it is) and cold water, the fish are not moving upriver as fast and there are some great fishing conditions.

"It was a day that it seemed easy to catch steelhead and we all know that is not true."

"Have a good holiday season."

"You too, coach. ... And welcome home."

source: Bill Monroe, Special to The Oregonian

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